Published on July 7th, 2022 | by Bibhuranjan

Biggest Gaming Conventions To Impress The Gamer In You

The video gaming industry has witnessed a boom very few other trades have come across. The past decade has exploded with systems and technology used in consoles and PC, skyrocketing gaming’s presence in the entertainment and leisure industry. Gaming conventions are an excellent way to peek into the future, mainly thanks to all the latest reveals and playable demos. However, what makes them stand out is the opportunity to meet not only enthusiasts who share the love of video games, but also developers and publishers, who dedicate tons of hours to materialize the title of your dreams.

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Some of these expos also host gaming championships that offer lucrative prizes and great merchandise to keep audiences engaged. Here are some of the biggest gaming conventions where gamers such as yourself and gaming industry representatives can gather and interact.

PAX (Australia & USA)

Penny Arcade Expo is a series of gaming festivals held across Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston, San Antonio and Melbourne, created by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik back in 2004. It has since grown to be one of the most well-known gaming-only conventions that includes a whole array of titles with a special focus on indie and arcade games. PAX offer space for new developers and independent publishers to showcase their respective trademarks, and also gives gamers the opportunity to experience freeplay areas.

Gamescom (Germany)

Arguably the world’s largest gaming expo and convention held in Europe ever year, Gamescom is a treat to behold for gaming enthusiasts. The fair is held in the German city of Cologne over a span of four days, and is attended by more than 350,000 people to host gaming championships – set up by some of the most famous names in the world. More than 1000 exhibitors come together for the event and one of the main highlights is the Games Developers Conference Europe, which is a platform allowing seasoned developers to pass behind-the-scenes knowledge to their peers.

Tokyo Games Show (Japan)

Held annually outside Japan’s vibrant capital, the Tokyo Games Show is one of the most happening gaming events held in the world. The country is home to some of the most famous developers and publishers in the industry including Capcom, Square Enix, Namco Bandai, and of course the behemoth of the industry – Sony (PlayStation). It is held over the course of four days, with the first two days open only to industry attendees, after which the general public can attend during the final two days. TGS is filled with important conferences, press releases, exhibitions and demos for enthusiasts to come across.

Brazil Games Show (Brazil)

One of the biggest and the most significant conventions in not only Latin America, but also the whole wide world. Brazil Games Show is touted to be more than just a gaming expo, luring an extensive crowd of gamers, developers, publishers and cosplayers, who can engage with one another by virtue of activities and tournaments. It garners a crowd of more than 300,000 people in the lively metropolis of Sao Paulo and has grown leaps and bounds within the last decade. The main expo area focuses on the B2C segment, but there are also business opportunities that may arise via its B2B space.

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)

The holy grail of US gaming conventions, E3 has been a cornerstone for almost 30 years now, held annually at the Los Angeles Convention center. Similar to PAX and EGX, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year as it showcases some of the best and most unique technologies in the gaming industry. In terms of importance and impact, E3 is considered a game changer because of the delegations involved – from developers and publishers to hardware and accessory manufacturers. However, the recent exit of Sony from the expo has led to a gradual downfall in its popularity, but nonetheless, it remains a trademark event.

In terms of gaming markets worldwide, China outranks USA, Japan and South Korea combined. ChinaJoy, held in Shanghai, is another notable addition to the above list of gaming conventions.

These conventions, as mentioned before is also a hub for esports and gaming championships to take place, making them a lucrative industry on their own, thanks to the investments put forth via betting and other means. One can find an overview of betting sites reviews in order to find the best medium to use. By evaluating country restrictions, user experience, market strength, competitive odds and other factors, it is possible for one to get a clear-cut picture of how the betting scenario works.

Few other noteworthy additions to the aforementioned list are BlizzCon (USA), Eurogamer Expo (UK, Germany), DreamHack (Europe, USA), San Diego Comic Con (USA), IgroMir (Russia) and Spiel (Germany).

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About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.